We were so close to an actual kiss while we stood in my doorway. His lips were right there, and I turned toward them, fully intending to be the one to initiate the kiss. In one second, I was ready to be bold and go for what I wanted. In the next, there was a voice in my head asking if I knew what I was doing, what I was inviting, and what could go terribly wrong. The cynical view won that round because I turned away from his full lips before anything happened.
Then he kissed my cheek instead.
That minor act spoke more to me than all the words in the dictionary combined. He knew I was hesitant and understood I was conflicted. Rather than pressuring me, he was giving me space to decide while still showing how much he desired me.
What makes a man really are the little things.
Those little things become the big things we can’t live without. They show character, define integrity, and reveal who the person really is. Anyone can pretend to be someone they’re not, but the truth will always show. Eventually.
I haven’t told Tracy about that encounter with him yet. She’ll think I’m crazy for being so infatuated with a stranger dressed in a Captain America costume. To be honest, I can’t explain it myself. But the truth is, I don’t want to try. Dissecting my feelings will only burst the bubble of giddiness I’ve felt since he approached me in the club. This is the first time, in a very long time, I’ve been excited about meeting a guy, and I’m not ready to lose that loving feeling.
Tracy and I reach the offshore excursions desk and check in for the magical outing she signed us up for without asking me first. We move to the area designated for our boat ride out to the small island just offshore and wait for the others to join us.
“Good morning, ladies. Fancy meeting you two here.” The deep masculine voice resonates from behind me, and the flurry of birds in my chest takes flight all at once.
I turn my head to find Rod and Kevin approaching us, wearing swimming shorts, tank tops, sunglasses, and enormous smiles. Two more guys are right behind them, barely awake and possibly still drunk from last night. Their black shades cover their eyes and their preppy sun visors do nothing to hide their bed hair.
“Good morning, boys. Where are you headed today?” I already know the answer. I’m curious which one will confess to the charade first.
“We’re just along for the free booze. I heard drinking first thing in the morning cures a hangover from the night before. Fuck, I hope that’s true.” The blond guy rubs his temples. The dark-haired one beside him simply nods, then immediately winces, regretting the sudden movement.
“Please ignore our obnoxious friends. We tried to sneak out of our room without them hearing us, but no such luck.” Kevin rolls his eyes. “Rod rented the private cabana on the small island today and we invited a bunch of people from the party last night to come along for the fun.”
Kevin cuts his eyes to Tracy, and the intimate change in them is overt and instant.
I jerk my gaze toward her to see if she returns the sentiment. When her eyes soften, my jaw drops open before I can stop it.
She senses my stare and turns toward me. “What?”
“You and I will have a long talk. Later.” She’s leaving me out of the loop on this developing relationship with Kevin. She’s making plans and not involving me until they’re already set in stone. She’s supposed to be my best friend. We’re supposed to talk about all the guy stuff when they’re not around.
“If you don’t want to go to the cabana with a bunch of people, we won’t force you.” Rod pushes his sunglasses on top of his head, only improving the sexy, messy hair vibe he has. My heart sinks to my ankles, and the flurries in my chest seize in place.
He doesn’t want me to go. I hate how my mind automatically goes to the worst-case scenario. That’s not what he said, and I know that, but that’s exactly how the words translate in my mind.
“Um, no, the cabana sounds great. Thank you for renting it and for inviting us. All I meant was my best friend in the entire world isn’t telling me everything for some reason. That just caught me off guard is all.”
“Let me know if you change your mind. I’m sure there are plenty of other activities to try. I read about a hiking and bike riding tour. Probably too late to get in on that one today, but we can make our own adventure, if you want.”
The cocksure man from our first day here is nowhere to be found. With that comment about hiking and bike riding, I’m positive Tracy told him what I’d planned. He wouldn’t have just pulled that out of thin air and offered the very activity I was looking forward to doing.
“Do you bike and hike a lot?”
“As much as I’m able. I’m only about an hour and a half from the Blue Ridge Mountains. Plenty of trails for hiking and biking up there. My sister and I used to take day trips there frequently, just to get away from the city.”
“That’s pleasantly surprising. You strike me as more of a GQ guy than a mountain man.” I smile, letting him know I’m not attempting to insult him.
“I’m only model-perfect where my work is involved. The rest of the time, I’m as slouchy as anyone else.” His smile reaches his eyes, and they change to a lighter blue right before me.
“Since you
